Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 1 of 24
Entries in this diary do compare to entries in a diary written by Angelina that was in the
Manuscript Collection at the University of Iowa
The transcriber of Angelina’s diary comments that Grove may be Big Grove, later known as Solon
June 1, 1849 Go to Pilot Grove to see Asa & family. Plesant.
June 2 Return home, Father & Harriet & Charlotte came. Father drive cow down. Plesant.
June 3 Sabbath at ch, Baptist convention.
June 4 Get load wood. Go to Grove, will drive Harriet’s cow & calf.
June 5 Plough. Go to town for Norman.
June 6 Return to Grove & plough. Rainy, cold.
June 7 Plough.
June 8 Finish plough for corn & plant potatoes.
June 9 Go home. Rain hard last night.
June 10 Sabbath.
June 11 Take load wood to Mr. Gardner & load to Dr. Moreman. Get shingles of Mr. Snyder.
June 12 Fix workbench. Plough potatoes & go to Grove, help Father plant corn.
June 13 Plant corn M. Make beehive P.M. Rain M.
June 14 Return home. Go to Mr. Irish with horses P.M.
June 15 Finish beehive. Take load wood to John & lumber to Mr. Swafford to make window
frames.
June 16 Fix lumber for house. Plough & plant potatoes. Hoe potatoes (in bloom). Take load
wood to Mr. Gardner. Mr. Pensell call to get me to look after his timber.
June 17 Sabbath.
June 18 Plough potatoes. Plant beans. Go to Dr. Morseman with Sarah. John here. Paint
portraits. Very warm.
June 19 Hoe potatoes. Mr. Clark call. Dansena commence going to school to Mr. Lathrop. Very
warm.
June 20 Hoe potatoes, take load wood to Mr. Ward for G.T. Andrews. Attend Free Democrat
Convention. Get shingles.
June 21 Hoe potatoes. Take load wood to G.T. Andrews.
June 22 Hoe potatoes. Sarah & Mary visit at Mrs. Pratts.
June 23 Thresh buckwheat. Mr. Barney came.
June 24 Sabbath.
June 25 Plow corn for Mr. Nicholas. Father go to English River with Mr. Barney & family.
June 26 Work on house. Siding.
June 27 Work on house. Father return.
June 28 Work on house. Mr. Kelsey here to dinner and leave his horse.
June 29 Work on house. Rain hard last night, raining M.
June 30 Work on house. Asa & family came with Mr. Barney.
July 1, 1849 Sabbath.
July 2 & 3 Work on house.
July 4 Attend S. School celebration.
July 5 Go to Mr. Fairmalt get straw M. Attend county convention P.M.
July 6 Plough corn for Mr. Nichols.
July 7 Work about house. Very warm.
July 8 Sabbath at home fr woods at Old Man’s Creek. Rainy day.
July 9 Work on road. Hot weather.
July 10 Work on house. Go to town. Get 3000 shingles. Sarah go to Grove. Hot weather.
July 11 Work on house. Sarah return. John came with hay & found a rifle gun in the road. Hot
weather.
July 12 Work on house. Go to town. John have team to go after his wife. Hot weather.
July 13 Work on house M. Help John move his house goods P.M. Moderate.
July 14 Finish thresh buckwheat & clean it up. John paint wagon & go to Grove with Amanda.
Cool.
July 15 Sabbath at ch.
July 16 Fixing about house & go to Grove to thresh wheat. Cool.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 2 of 24
July 17 Thresh wheat. Warm.
July 18 Return home & send James to go to mill. Cut oats by house. Very warm.
July 19 Commence cut wheat. Very warm middle day.
July 20 Cut wheat. Very warm.
July 21 Cut oats & make wheat. Cool.
July 22 Sabbath at ch. Rev. Williams of Keokuk, S.S. agent preach. Cool.
July 23 Cut & make oats. Take four to ___ for Father. Cool.
July 24 Write to N.Y. Evangelist M. Rain morning.
July 25 Work at harvest.
July 26 Work at harvest.
July 27 Work at harvest. Bro. Clark & family here.
July 28 Work at harvest. Take load wood Dr. Morseman.
July 29 Sabbath. Father & Harriet here. Rain & wind.
July 30 Work at harvest. Take load wood to Mr. Swafford. Cold.
July 31 Work in harvest. Cool.
August 1, 1849 Work at harvest.
August 2 Work at harvest. Finish cut oats.
August 3 Fast day, attend Church.
August 4 Finish cut wheat. Rain morning.
August 5 Sabbath. Go to Old Man’s Creek.
August 6 Take load wood to Mr. Gower, attend election.
August 7 Fix hay rack & commence stacking wheat—2 loads.
August 8 Finish cutting hayseed. Mow grass & weeds in hollow. Get 1 load wheat.
August 9 Stack wheat, 5 loads. Mr. Lathrop here. Rainy day.
August 10 Finish stack wheat. Commence stack oats.
August 11 Finish stack oats, take 3 ¼ bushel potatoes to town, sell at 50 cts bushel.
August 12 Sabbath at home.
August 13 Stack hayseed, take 5 ½ bushel potatoes to town. Rainy.
August 14 Send 1 ½ bush. Potatoes to M. Swafford, commence cut hay east of Mr. Hill.
August 15 Cut hay, bring home ½ load.
August 16 Help Mr. Mendenhall raise house. Get small load hay. Rain hard eve.
August 17 Cut hay to take load straw to Mr. Swafford.
August 18 Mowing M, get ½ load hay & work on road turning water out P.M. Rain hard.
August 19 Sabbath at ch. Go to Old Man’s Creek P.M. Start a S. School. Mr. Holmes go with
me.
August 20 Getting hay.
August 21 Get load hay. Rain P.M.
August 22 Rain M. Hoop barrel. Go to Grove P.M.
August 23 Return home M. Get wood & take load of hay P.M. Sarah visit at Mr. Bund___.
August 24 Get hay ½ load.
August 25 Get load hay, take load wood to Dr. Morseman.
August 26 Sabbath at home.
August 27 Dig some potatoes, take to town & fetch them back—no sale. Settle with Mr.
Andrews. Trustees settle with him for meeting house. Sarah visit at Mr. Haynes.
August 28 Get hogs of Dr. Morseman. Get load hay.
August 29 Get load hay, take load wood to Mr. Costly.
August 30 Get load hay for Mr. Haberstram. Mr. Denny get fanning mill. Cold, misty.
August 31 Get load hay. Cold nights.
September 1, 1849 Get load hay. Very warm about noon.
September 2 Sabbath at ch. Go to Old Man’s Creek P.M. to S.S.
September 3 Get load hay.
September 4 Take load hay to Mr. Swafford.
September 5 Look for another place to get hay. Asa came. Mr. Hill came to buy logs.
September 6 Take load hay to Mr. Swafford.
September 7 Take load hay to Mr. Swafford. Take logs home for Mr. Hill.
September 8 Get load hay. Mary & Adelbert here. Frost last night on boards.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 3 of 24
September 9 Sabbath. Go to Old Man Creek. Set up with Mr. Douglass night.
September 10 Get load of shed cover.
September 11 Take load hay to Dr. Morseman.
September 12 Take two loads hay Dr. Morseman. Cloudy, looks like rain.
September 13 Take load wood & load hay to Dr. Morseman.
September 14 Take load hay to Mr. Andrews. Rain little last night.
September 15 Take load hay to Mr. Andrews. Norman call. Very warm day.
September 16 Sabbath at ch. Go to Creek. Rain P.M.
September 17 Mow. Get load of shed cover. Father & Angelina here. Mr. Parker here.
September 18 Go to town M. Get some crotches for shed P.M. Raining.
September 19 Take load wood to Mr. Laythrop.
September 20 Mow, get some shed cover. Rainy.
September 21 Take load hay to Mr. Haberstram. Sent letter to Andrew.
September 22 Take load hay to Mr. Andrews.
September 23 Sabbath at ch. Go to Creek.
September 24 Mow. Get home two loads shed cover.
September 25 Get load hay, take load to Mr. Hazzard.
September 26 Get load hay & load shed cover.
September 27 Help Mr. Smith thresh.
September 28 Help Mr. Smith thresh.
September 29 Sarah have ague. Get load of poles for shed, corn at Mr. Hills, go to Mr. Tynnells,
take tea at Mr. Logans with Sarah.
September 30 Sabbath, hear Mr. Hazzard preach. Communion.
October 1, 1849 Go to Grove, cold rain.
October 2 Return home, get load corn.
October 3 Go to mill, get 117 lbs flour of Mr. Denny. Get load wood take load wood to Mr.
Gower. Mr. Richards of Wisconsin call. Bought cast iron plough of him for three dollars
and paid him at Mr. Buck’s store. Cold.
October 4 Help Mr. Smith thresh. Cold.
October 5 About home. Rainy day. Cold.
October 6 Take a load of wood to Gower & Holt & a load to Mr. Hawkins and one to Mr. Gardner.
Cold.
October 7 Sabbath at house. Charles sick. Angelina & Harriet came.
October 8 Mow in slue near Mr. Smith’s.
October 9 Mow for Mr. Brandon. Very cold & windy.
October 10 Mow in slue, Mr. Smith help A.M.
October 11 Thresh wheat. Mr. Lee & son, Mr. Smith, Mr. Kimbal, Mr. McElmain & Mr. Brandon &
son help. Cold, windy, misty.
October 12 Help widow Douglas with rest of neighbors. Warm, plesant.
October 13 Fix about home M. Get load hay P.M. Warm, plesant.
October 14 Sabbath at ch. Mr. Jones of Cedar Rapids preach. Communion. Rainy.
October 15 Take load wood to Dr. Moresman & load to Mr. Usher. Cold.
October 16 Haul 3 loads of hay. Mr. Amos Isbell commence work this ay at noon for seventy-five
cents per day. Chop rail timber. Cold, cloudy.
October 17 Get load of corn at Mr. Hills M, Sarah & the children go to Grove P.M. Mr. Isbell
frame rafters.
October 18 Work on house. Mr. Isbell help. Cold.
October 19 Work on house. Mr. Isbell help. Cold.
October 20 Work on house M. Take load to ___, costly, & load to Mr. Bradshaw.
October 21 Sabbath at Old Man Creek. Plesant.
October 22 Go to Grove, then to Mr. Sells mill. Get 470 feet lath.
October 23 Take load wood to Mr. Richardson. Get calf of Mr. Robins, haul rails. Work on
house.
October 24-25 Work on house.
October 26 Work on house, go to mill, 11 bushel & 3 picks.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 4 of 24
October 27 Go to town with Sarah to trade at Mr. Richardsons. M. Take load wood to Frank
Reno P.M. Mr. Isbell get load hay & dig potatoes.
October 28 Sabbath at Baptist Ch. Warm & plesant all this week. Rain P.M.
October 29 Take two loads wood to Mr. Richardson, get 1000 brick of Mr. Johnson. Cool &
plesant.
October 30 Take load wood to Dr. Morseman. Get grist at mill. Asa & Marriet go to Grove.
October 31 Work on house.
November 1, 1849 Work on house. Asa & Marriet return.
November 2 Work on house. Asa & Marriet go home. James come with 14 bush. corn.
November 3 Shingle house. Mr. Isbell sick. James go after lumber. Plesant this week. Rain
P.M.
November 4 Sabbath at Baptist Ch. Go to Old Mans Creek for the last time this fall.
November 5 Shingling. Mr. Isbell help James go to Grove. Warm.
November 6 Shingling. Mr. Isbell help.
November 7 Shingling on south side. Mr. Isbell help.
November 8 Shingling on south side. Mr. Isbell help.
November 9 Shingle alone. Last evening Mr. Isbelle made an excuse to attend meeting in town
but was too much in my debt to return & has walked away.
November 10 Shingling. Sarah go to Grove. Asa & John came. This week plesant. Freeze little
nights.
November 11 Sabbath at Baptist Ch.
November 12 Shingle. John help part of P.M. Mary & Adelbert here.
November 13 Shingling. John & Mr. Stafford help. Esqr. Ramson of Ohio call today. Sarah &
James go to Grove.
November 14 Shingling & work on roof. John paint. Asa came with cattle from Grove. James
came with load of corn.
November 15 Finish shingling. Asa look after other cattle. Movers stay here last night.
November 16 Help Asa get his cattle over River M. Work on house P.M. Sarah came home.
James came with corn. Cool.
November 17 Work on house. James came with corn. Growing cold.
November 18 Sabbath at ch. Rev. Mr. Jones preach.
November 19 Take load wood to Mr. Robins. Get load of soft brick. Mr. Johnson & James go to
Grove evening.
November 20 Work on house. James came with corn.
November 21 Work on house. Father go to Mill.
November 22 Work on house—south side.
November 23 Work on south side. Mr. Calkins from Michigan stay here last night. Cold day.
November 24 Diging sellar. Rainy day.
November 25 Sabbath at home.
November 26 Haul lime—12 bushels & sand one load. Freeze hard last night for the first time
this fall.
November 27 Plow & sow 1 bushel rye. Cold & squally. Snow last night—3 inches.
November 28 Take lumber for door & window frames to Swafford. Get some lime of John & load
sand.
November 29 Dig sellar & siding house. Father came with Harriet. Ida sick.
November 30 Digging & siding.
December 1, 1849 Finish siding south side house. James came with load corn.
December 2 Sabbath at Methodist Ch.
December 3 Putting in sleepers. James go to Grove.
December 4 Putting in sleepers.
December 5 Putting in sleepers. Dig sistern. James came with corn. Cold.
December 6 Take load wood to Mr. Gardner. Get load brick & dig sistern. Froze hard last night.
Cold like winter.
December 7 Dig sistern & get load wood. Cold east wind, snow & blow evening, perhaps 2
inches.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 5 of 24
December 8 Send load wood to meeting house. Dig sistern & take load to Mr. Bradsaw. Warm,
sunny, thaw.
December 9 Sabbath at home. Sarah & Densena go to ch. Rev. Mr. Howe from Cincinnati Ohio
preach. Very cold day.
December 10 Dig sistern.
December 11 Help kill hogs for Mr. Lee. Cold.
December 12 Help get wood for Widow Douglass. Thaw some.
December 13 Kill hogs for self. Mr. Smith help. Mr. Howe call. Mild.
December 14 Take load wood to Mr. Richardson, a load to Mr. Gardner & a load to Mr. Hazzard.
Norman leave beef. Cold east wind.
December 15 Clean wheat & take 10 bushels to mill. Mr. Stetson’s boy help. Foggy misty.
December 16 Sabbath at ch. Severe cold & windy.
December 17 Take load wood to Mr. Hazzard, get load hogs heads at Gower & Holt’s. Very
cold.
December 18 Take load wood to Mr. Richardson. Get horses shod & commence chop load
wood. Father came. Foggy & frosty.
December 19 Chop cord wood, take load to Mr. Shelady. Harriet go to Johns. Father go home
after corn. Warm.
December 20 Get buckwheat grist at mill. Get lime at Mr. Yeiger. Father return with corn. Clark
call get supper. Cold.
December 21 Chop wood. Father & James haul. Take load to Mr. Lathrop, a load to Mulholland
& Costly & two loads to Mr. Shelady. Warm.
December 22 Chop & take load to Shelady. Father take load to Shelady & to John. Very cold,
sun dogs.
December 23 Sabbath at ch. Father go to Grove. Cold.
December 24 Chop wood. Father came. Very cold, sun dogs.
December 25 Chop. Father haul two loads.
December 26 Chop A.M. Father haul load wood to Mr. Shelady, load hay to Mr. Dernell, Mr.
Howe Mr. Clark call. Warm thaw.
December 27 Chop. Father take load wood to Mr. Lathrop & two loads to Mr. Shelady, Harriet
come home. Warm.
December 28 Chop. Father take two loads wood to Mr. Shelady. Sarah & the children at Johns.
Snowy, warm.
December 29 Split wood north & take load to meeting house. Father take load to Shelady.
Severe cold & windy.
December 30 Sabbath at ch. Very severe cold.
December 31 Chop wood. Father take two loads wood to Mr. Shelady. John go to Grove. Quite
moderate.
January 1, 1850 Chop wood & take saw log to Felkner. Father go to Grove with Harriet, Asa &
family came. Cold air.
January 2 Chop & get wood out of hollow. Moderate.
January 3 Getting wood. Father came home. Take a load wood to Mr. Bradshaw. Moderate M.
Grow cold P.M. Severe night.
January 4 Go to Mr. Fairmalt’s M, go to Mr. Lathrop P.M. Mr. McAllister here at night—his
horses rangey. Asa go to Rapids.
January 5 Get McAlister horses & mend his broken rigging M. Call at Mr. Johnsons & Clarks
P.M. Father take two loads wood to Mr. Shelady.
January 6 Sabbath at ch. Dr. Woods resign his place as minister.
January 7 Go to look at timber M. Attend church meeting P.M. Father take two loads wood to
Mr. Richardson & one to Mr. Costly. Warm snow all day.
January 8 Chop wood. Father take a load to Mr. Shelady & get load ___ & take load wood to Mr.
Templin. Good sleighing.
January 9 Chop saw logs. Father & James haul to Mr. Haynes mill 4 logs. Warm thaw, spoil
sleighing.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 6 of 24
January 10 Chop saw logs. Father & James haul 4 to Haynes mill M. Go to Mr. Holmes with
Sarah. Father take load wood to Mr. Richardson & get Asa’s horses shod P.M. Asa return
from Rapids. Warm thaw, muddy.
January 11 Work at hovels. Father help M & go to town with Marriett P.M. for wood. Get buggy
to Cedar Rapids. Growing very cold.
January 12 Take load wood to meeting house 4 ___ on to get mended M, work at hovel P.M.
Father help Asa & family go home. Cold M.
January 13 Sabbath at ch. Mr. Howe preach M. Text: I have no other man like minded who will
naturally care for your state. Mr. Read of Davenport preach eve. Text: This year thou
shalt die. Very plesant day.
January 14 Put irons on wagon tongue & help Father start to mill. Mr. Howe here. Cold so wind,
snow eve.
January 15 Go to town M, chop wood P.M. Warm thaw.
January 16 Attend R. R. Convention. Father return. Warm thaw.
January 17 Write to Mrs. Clark. Take flour to Mr. Andrews. Get money of Kimbal.
January 18 Chop wood. Father help Sarah M. Take load wood to Mr. Templin P.M.
January 19 Chop wood. Father take 2 loads wood to Mr. Templin. Cold east wind.
January 20 Sabbath at home. Rainy day.
January 21 Chop down timbers for saw logs M. Go to town P.M. Father clean hogs heads.
Severe cold, west wind.
January 22 Chop rail cuts. Father haul them to go to town with Sarah to trade. Warm thaw.
January 23 Go to Cedar Rapids with family. Plesant.
January 24 Help Bro Jones. Cold, misty.
January 25 Return to Big Grove. Stop night at Bro Clark. Cold so. wind.
January 26 Return home. Take load wood to Mr. Persell. Misty M, plesant P.M.
January 27 Sabbath at church. Cool.
January 28 Cut saw logs, Father help. Severe cold, misty, windy.
January 29 Getting wood & rails. Father help. Mr. Haynes team haul lumber. James load
wagon to Mr. Howe. Asa come. Moderate.
January 30 Getting wood & rails. James load wood to Gower & Holt. Father help. Warm, thaw,
muddy.
January 31 Splitting rails & wood. Father go to Elder Smith’s with Sarah & attend to his own
business in town. Asa go home. Very cold, west wind.
February 1, 1850 Getting wood M, attend meeting P.M. Father help. Quite moderate & plesant.
February 2 James load wood to Mr. Howe & a load to Gower & Hold. Growing very cold.
February 3 Sabbath at ch. Communion. Very severe cold.
February 4 Chop wood, Father take load wood to Mr. Persel. South wind.
February 5 Take load wood to Mr. Howe. Father go to Grove. Sarah visit at Mrs. Douglas’.
Chrish family stop. Moderate.
February 6 Chop wood. Father return. Warm.
February 7 Split rails. Father & James haul rails for Mr. Haynes. Warm, rain little.
February 8 Commence splitting rails on Mr. Ricord land (50 rails). Father get his horses shod.
Warm thaw. Mr. McDowell here tonight.
February 9 Go with Mr. McDowell to look at rail timber M. Take load wood to Gower & Holt.
Father & James take two loads rails for Mr. Haynes & Father take load wood to Mr.
Richardson. Cold, froze up hard.
February 10 Sabbath at ch. Cold.
February 11 Take load wood to Mr. Buck, help Father see about his wagon. Father take load
wood to Mr. Persel & a load to Mr. Howe. James take a load to Mr. Howe. Kill a rackoon.
Warm, plesant.
February 12 Chop wood. Father & James take each a load of rails for Mr. Haynes & each a load
of wood to Mr. Buck. Warm plesant.
February 13 Chop wood, take a load to Gower & Holt. Father go to Grove. Cold.
February 14 Chop wood. Father return & load of wood for Mr. Prather. Plesant.
February 15 Chop wood. Father take 3 loads of wood to Chas. Robins from house. Plesant.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 7 of 24
February 16 Chop wood. Father take 1 load to church, 3 to Mr. Richardson & 1 to Mr. Usher & 1
go to mill. Take load wood to Gower & Holt. Plesant.
February 17 Sabbath at ch.
February 18 Go to town, pay Fathers tax & split rails on Mr. Ricord’s land. Father & James haul
5 load wood for Mr. Prather. Plesant
February 19 Commence hauling rails on the prairie & take load to Gower & Holt and a load to Mr.
Persel.. Asa here. Father go to Grove to see wagon. Plesant.
February 20 Take load wood to Gower & Holt. Attend R. R. convention. Father return, Bro
Jones came. Made horse for other with Mr. ___. Grow cold.
February 21 Attend to business in town. Father go to steam mill after lumber. Sarah & Amy visit
at Mr. Yeager & Kimball. Plesant.
February 22 About home M. Split rails on Mr. McDowell’s land P.M. Father & James haul 4
loads wood to Mr. Prather. Mr. Parker here last night with one horse. Plesant.
February 23 Split rails on Mr. Hill’s land. Father go to Grove with his wagon. Harriet get letters
from Catlett. California news. Plesant.
February 24 Sabbath. Dedication of Brick Church.
February 25 Work about house M, help Father fix his wagon, take load wood to Gower & Holt.
Father & James haul each a load of rails M. Father take a load of wood to his wagon
maker. Warm plesant.
February 26 Split rails on Mr. Hill’s land. Father & James haul rails. Warm, plesant.
February 27 Split rails on Mr. Hill’s land. Father go to Grove. Mr. Prather commence work on
house. Warm plesant.
February 28 Work on house with Mr. Prather. Father return. James take load wood to Mr.
Pensel. Thunder shower last night. Hard wind today. Growing cold.
March 1, 1850 Work on house. Father mend shoes. Cold day.
March 2 Work on house. Father mend shoes. Cold.
March 3 Sabbath. Cold.
March 4 Chop wood. Father & James take 4 loads wood to Mr. Richardson. Father & I take 2
loads to Gower & Holt. Cool.
March 5 Go with Mr. Brandon to see rail timber & split some rails. Cool.
March 6 Work on house with Mr. Prather—lay floor. Snow last night about 2 inch, very heavy.
Marach 7 Work on house 1/s day—lay floor. Mr. Prather all day. Snow go off.
March 8, Work on house. Mr. Prather lay floor ½ day. Father start to go to Marengo with Mr.
Richardson. 6 California teams pass today.
March 9 Work on house with Mr. Prather. Prather 2 ½ days laying floor—myself 1 ½. Very cold,
hard wind.
March 10 Sabbath at church.
March 11 Work on house & chop two loads wood. Father return from Marengo & take a load of
wood to his wagon maker. James take a load to Mr. Persel. Mr. Prather put in sleepers M.
Fix his place & commence dress flooring P.M.
March 12 Get lumber at Mr. Haynes Mill. Dig cistern P.M. Father & James haul lumber to go to
Grove. Mr. Prather laying floor. Warm.
March 13 Work at cistern. Mr. Andrews commence work on it P.M. Prather work on it P.M.
Prather work at floor. James came with load corn. Growing cold.
March 14 Help Mr. Andrews on cistern. Prather commence work at 10 o’clock dress flooring.
March 15 Go to Mr. Haynes Mill get load lumber. Help Asa get corn over river. Help Mr.
Andrews finish cistern. Prather ___ flooring ½ day.
March 16 Work about house. Prather lay floor. Father came with some hay & James with a load
of corn.
March 17 Sabbath at ch.
March 18 Fix cistern neck & work about house. Father go to Gillilands. Prather commence work
at 10 o’clock lay floor. Very cold, windy.
March 19 Work at house ½ day at stairway. Father & James get slabs & lumber at Haynes.
Father go to town with Mr. Murray’s books for Court. Prather work at stairway. About 27
California teams pass today and one of two teams 6 horse & 5 men stop here. Cold east
raw wind.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 8 of 24
March 20 Go to town, get extra tinware M. Work at house P.M. Father & James go to Grove.
Snow last night about 1 inch go off today.
March 21 Prather work at stairs. Work on house ½ day. Prather work at floor after 3 o’clock.
Cold, damp, rainy eve.
March 22 Work some at house with Prather, half sick. Father & James came with hay. 4
Californians stay here night with 4 yoke oxen. 37 teams pass today. Cold.
March 23 Work on house some with Prather putting in short sills. Father & James go to Grove,
send load wood for Prather & some to stone ch. 37 teams pass today. Very cold, freeze
hard.
March 24 Sabbath at church. Very cold.
March 25 Work at house. Very cold.
March 26 Work at house. Prather lay floor. 39 teams pass today. Very cold.
March 27 Work on house & get lumber in town. Take load wood to Gower & Holt. Prather make
door frames ½ day. James came with load lumber. One Irish crowd of Californians stop
here—14 yoke of oxen and a Yankee Co. with 6 horses. 40 teams pass today. More
moderate.
March 28 Work on house. Help make door frames ½ day. Prather make door frames all day. 8
frames with 2 days work. James haul two loads wood for Mr. Prather. 45 California teams
pass today. Plesant.
March 29 Setting doorframes & piling lumber. Prather work ¼ day (set frames), then go home.
James go to Grove. 40 California teams pass. Very plesant.
March 30 Go with family to English River. Visit at Asas. 43 teams pass today. Cloudy.
March 31 Sabbath. 32 teams today. Cloudy.
April 1, 1850 63 teams, Rain some.
April 2 Return home. 67 teams pass today. Raining most all day.
April 3 Work on house setting door frames & partitions. Prather came about 9 o’clock. Cold,
cloudy.
April 4 Go to town to acknowledge deed. Setting door frames & partitions. Prather help Father
go to Grove. 30 teams pass. Cool, cloudy.
April 5 Work on house. Prather make door frames. 30 teams. Cloudy, rainy.
April 6 Work on house setting partitions. Prather quit this morning. 67 teams pass today.
Warm, plesant.
April 7 Sabbath at Baptist ch. Cold.
April 8 Work on house. James draw wood for Mr. Prather. 11 horses here last night. 57 teams
& one packhorse/mule pass today. Plesant.
April 9 Go to Haynes Mill. Get lumber, work on house & take load of wood to Gower & Holt. 2
yoke of oxen & one horse here last night. 22 teams & 4 pack horse. Cold, squally.
April 10 Go to town, see Mr. Sabin, get sash & nails. Work on house. 37 teams pass. Cold,
freeze night.
April 11 Go to see Mr. Seward about field. Work on house. 59 teams pass. Warm, plesant.
April 12 Go to see Mr. Swan about field, work at house. Norman call. James haul load wood to
John for Mr. Prather & go to Grove. 15 teams. Very cold north wind.
April 13 Work on house. 5 teams pass & 1 return, 3 yoke of oxen & 3 men stop here. Children
sick all week. Severe cold & hard wind. Water froze in wash tub last night 1 inch.
April 14 Sabbath at home, children sick. 20 teams, 2 stop—4 horses & 4 men. More moderate.
April 15 Get two loads wood M, Lathing part of P.M. James haul two loads of wood to
Warrenport for Mr. Prather, John move. 47 teams pass: one team of 4 horses & 4 men &
one boy from Camanche, Iowa: Trumasa B. Suit (tavernkeeper), Wm Welch, Cicily Blaces
of Dewit & Cornelius Jchapp from Illinois side opposite Camanche. Moderate weather.
Two teams return.
April 16 Lathing M, go to mill & town P.M. James haul fence timber for Mr. Prather. 25 teams
pass, one team of 4 horses here. Three return. Cold windy.
April 17 Lathing & other work. James take load wood to Mr. Snyder, then go to Grove.
Californians go after corn—about 40 teams pass. 16 horses here. Windy.
April 18 Lathing & do chores. Asa came after co Californians stop & go after corn. 1st return. 40
teams—8 horses here. Warm.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 9 of 24
April 19 Lathing. Father & James came with small loads hay. 20 company return with corn.
Teams pass, 8 horses here. Warm.
April 20 Riddle lime & help Father thresh hay seed. James haul load wood & load fence timber
for Mr. Prather. 12 teams pass, 13 horses here.
April 21 Sabbath at ch. Mr. McGat funeral. Californians stay over Sabbath. Father go to Grove
eve. Harriet get letter from Catlett. Rainy.
April 22 Haul load wood for Mr. Prather, get load sand. Take load wood to Gower & Holt. Father
& James return from Grove with cows & load of bran & oats. 41 teams pass.
April 23 Work at house. Father finish threshing hay seed. James haul two loads wood for Mr.
Prather. 15 teams. Froze water.
April 24 Split rails in Walker field M, Lathing P.M. Father commenced ploughing. James haul 1
load wood & 2 loads fence timber for Mr. Prather. 10 teams & 8 pack horses pass.
April 25 Burning/running off lime. 63 teams pass. Warm.
April 26 Work at lime. Father go to see Patrick Smith M, plough P.M. James haul timber for
Prather. 10 teams pass, 1 team of 6 horses here.
April 27 Work at house. Father sow oats, James harrow. 35 teams. Cool. Thunder & a little
rain last night.
April 28 Sabbath at home day, meeting eve. Rainy day.
April 29 Go to Mr. Haynes get lumber. Put up fence around Walkers field. Get load sand, Father
commence ploughing for wheat. 8 teams. Cool.
April 30 Tend mason. Father plough for wheat. James teaming for Mr. Prather. Bro Jones here
last night . Mr. Andrews laying brick. Mr. Dimit start for Oregon. 26 teams pass. Cold.
May 1, 1850 Make mortar & help Mr. Andrews lath. Father plough for wheat. James haul fence
timber for Mr. Prather.
May 2 Help Mr. Andrews lath & plaster. Father & James sow & harrow wheat. 19 teams & 9
pack horses. Cold east wind.
May 3 Help Mr. Andrews plaster & tend build chimney. Father take load wood to John, get some
brick. James work for Mr. Nicholas with oxen plough ½ day. 4 teams pass from last night
& this M. Grow cold P.M. NW wind.
May 4 Work at house. Father go to Grove. James work for Mr. Nicholas with oxen. ___ home
this morning.
May 5 Sabbath at ch. Mr. Howe gone to convention & general assembly. Cold.
May 6 Set window glass M. Run off lime & go to school meeting P.M. Father return from Grove.
James work for Nicholas with oxen. Asa came from English River last night. 18 teams
pass. Cold frost night.
May 7 Go to town, get glass & window sash M. Work at house P.M. Father finish sowing wheat
on the Felkner farm 6 bushels. James work for Nicholas with oxen. Asa return home.
Wilks & Co. start today with 6 teams. 2 teams pass. Cold, cold, frost.
May 8 Cut two loads wood, paint window sash M. Make pantry shelves P.M. Take load wood to
Gower & Holt eve, get a door. Father take a load of wood to Patterson, plough Mr.
Andrews garden & furrow potato ground back of stable. James work for Nicholas. 9 teams
& 5 pack horses pass, 4 horses here. Cold.
May 9 Chop load wood, hang doors & work at window. Father sow oats (most 6 bushel) on
Felkner farm. James work for Nicholas some more than ½ day & take load wood to Mr.
Andrews. John move to Grove. 3 teams pass. Freeze last night.
May 10 Chop 6 loads wood M, work at house P.M. Father & James haul 4 loads wood to Mr.
Allbright & 2 to Mr. Snyder. Bro Jones have horse & buggy to go to Grove. 2 teams pass.
Freeze night.
May 11 Take load wood to Mr. Podmore M, fix house & help move P.M. Father & James go to
English River, take Angelina things to her. Adelbert came home with horse & buggy.
Freeze.
May 12 Sabbath at ch. Mr. Thompson preach. Birds on trees not started yet. Warm.
May 13 Work at house. 4 teams pass. Warm.
May 14 Work at house. Normans family down. Mr. Strong of Ohio call. Very warm.
May 15 Go to Grove M to see John. Work at house P.M. Father & James came home. Bro.
Jones here tonight with load rock. Mr. Prather have oxen today.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 10 of 24
May 16 Fill leech M, plough on Walker field P.M. Father plough all day. 4 teams pass. Warm.
May 17 Plough in Walker field. Father go to Grove after oats. Rails burned last night in woods.
Sarah go to mill get grist. Cold wind.
May 18 Sow oats & plough. Father plough M & go to English R P.M. Take Angelina things.
Cold M, warm P.M. Letter from Catlett to Harriet this day. Mailed at Sacramento Cal.
March 28th—came in 51 days via N. York. 10 teams pass.
May 19 Sabbath at ch. Mr. Thompson speak. Warm.
May 20 Write to Catlett. Go to town get some dried peaches, plough. Mr. Steel commence
boarding at noon. Cold rainy.
May 21 Plough M, sow oats & plough P.M. Dr. Morleman & wife here. Father come home. Asa
& Mr. Farley start for Salt Lake.
May 22 Finish sow oats in Walker field & sow hayseed. Father finish ploughing. James harrow.
Mr. West call. Cold night, warm day, ground dry as ashes.
May 23 Cut sprouts in Walker field M, plough garden P.M. Father finish harrowing & help clean
hay seed. Rain some.
May 24 Help clean wheat, go to town, fix bedstead. Father go to English R, get things Asa left.
Mr. Steel dig cellar. Rain hard last night.
May 25 Work about house. Father return & get grist at mill. Mr. Haynes get two bushel hay
seed. Rain last night.
May 26 Sabbath at Methodist Ch. Rain last night, warm, good corn weather.
May 27 Plough corn ground for Mr. Nicholas today. Father go to Grove after potatoes. James
work with oxen for Mr. Keiser ½ day. Warm rain wind.
May 28 ½ sick. Father plough for Nicholas. James work with oxen for Dutchman. Sarah go to
Grove. Cool morning, finish plant potatoes back of stable. Four men from Ohio looking at
the county. Stay here.
May 29 Work on house with Mr. Prather. Father plough for Nicholas & Brosant. James plant
potatoes north of house. Take load lumber to Prather.
May 30 Business today as yesterday. Prather have oxen.
May 31 Business today as yesterday. Father came home at night. That this ___ from home.
Warm days & cold nights. Mr. Steel has boarded here 8 days. Mr. Prather work 3 days
this week.
June 1, 1850 Work at house, hung doors. Father return & finish working corn ground for
Nicholas & Brosant. Get load of gravel. Mr. Johnson call.
June 2 Sabbath at ch.
June 3 Go to town, fix gate, grub hazel brush. Work at bedstead. Father go to Grove after seed
corn & potatoes. Rain last night. Warm.
June 4 Work on house with Mr. Prather. Father sow peas & furrow potato ground in meadow.
Bro Jones here night. Rainy, warm.
June 5 Yoke hogs, plant potatoes, commence ploughing in corn on Philip Clark’s farm, take load
wood to Mr. Andrews. Father & James help. Sarah get cabbage plants of Indians. Warm.
June 6 Cloudy & hard shower at home.
June 7 Plough & plant corn on Clarks.
June 8 ___ Father & James help. Two teams.
June 9 Sabbath at home. Half sick. Cold & windy.
June 10 Plough & plant corn. James help. Father harrow corn ground.
June 11 Finish plant corn M. Father help. Commence plough for buckwheat P.M. Father
harrow corn ground. James burn weeds. Mr. Chandler stay here. Get 140 feet siding at
Mr. Clarks. Warm day & dry.
June 12 Work on house, thresh buckwheat, Father go to Grove.
June 13 Work on house, Sarah go to Grove after Harriet & back. Darsena & James commence
going to school to Mrs. Douglass.
June 14 Work on houses. Father return, help plough beans & go to Clark’s farm evening.
James go too.
June 15 Work on house. Father sow buckwheat. 3 California teams pass.
June 16 Sabbath.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 11 of 24
June 17 Work on road. Father to harrow potatoes, get his plough sharpened & go to Clark’s
farm plough for buckwheat.
June 18 Work on house, 1 team pass.
June 19 Work on house. Clark go to Mr. Carne. Go to town see Prathers & Holmes & Lathrop
families visit.
June 20 Work on house. Sarah & Harriet visit at Mr. Hamptons.
June 21 Work on house, hive bees, & plant flint cover.
June 22 Work on house, fix bees. Father came home from Clark’s farm to sow buckwheat, plant
beans & potatoes. Clark return from ___.
June 23 Sabbath at Baptist Ch.
June 24 Commence grubbing. Mr. Steel help. Father about house & take 2 bushels wheat to
mill. Get lumber for Prathers. Sarah & Harriet to town.
June 25 Find corners of lot. Father help Mr. Steel grubbing. Prather rip? up lumber for doors.
Start for Muscatine at sundown.
June 26 Get to Muscatine about 9 o’clock M, leave about 3 P.M. with 800 feet lumber in a hard
thundershower. Mr. Steel left this morning sick.
June 27 Got home at 11 o’clock M.
June 28 Chop load wood for Prather & load for Templin M. Father haul. Work about house P.M.
June 29 Grubbing. Father plough corn for Mr. Brosant. Prather rip? lumber for doors.
June 30 Sabbath at Methodist Ch. Little shower of rain. Very dry & dusty. No rain since the
fourth inst.
July 1, 1850 Go to town M, make gate P.M. Father go to Grove, see about his wagon & get
Harriet’s bed. Prather rip door stuff evening. Two good showers today.
July 2 Grub M, work at P.M. Father go to sow buckwheat but returned without—too dry. Blind
boy & his father here. Dry.
July 3 Grub, Father go to mill with buckwheat. Dry dusty. Blind boy here.
July 4 Attend temperance celebration. Father go to mill for grist. Very warm, dry & dusty.
July 5 Grubing. Father go to Grove take care of lumber at Sells. Send buckwheat to Eckrish.
July 6 Grubing.
July 7 Sabbath.
July 8 Grubing M, work about house P.M. Father thresh buckwheat.
July 9 Grub M, work house P.M. Prather commence work at 10 o’clock M. Sarah visit at Dr.
Woods. Harriet came home.
July 10 Grub M, work with Prather P.M. Father assist in locating a road east of town M, go to
Grove after his wagon P.M.
July 11 Assist in surveying Mr. Smith & my land, Mr. Sanders, Smith & Lee help. Father return.
Very hard rain this P.M. The first we have had to do any lasting good since the 4 of June.
July 12 Work with Prather, lay floor. Father sow buckwheat on Clark’s farm. Two travelers stay
here last night. Elvira call here.
July 13 Work on house, lay floors. Mary call. Father came home.
July 14 Sabbath at Baptist Ch.
July 15 Get timber for levers to raise house M. Go to town with Harriet to commence cutting
tame hay P.M. Father haul hay for Mr. Shelady 2 loads.
July 16 Cut hay M, about house P.M. Father take wagon to shop, raining P.M. Circus in town.
July 17 Making hay. Father haul hay for Mr. Bayheel 2 loads. Sarah & Harriet go to Grove.
July 18 Haying. Father & James haul hay for Mr. Bayheel—4 loads.
July 19 Haying. Father & James haul hay for Mr. Shelady—4 loads.
July 20 Haying & cut rye. Father sow turnips. Rain last night.
July 21 Sabbath at home.
July 22 Cutting hay M, Father help haul & stack 3 loads P.M.
July 23 Cutting hay. Father & James go to haul hay for Mr. Shelady but returned because he did
not want them. Father & Harriet go to Grove evening.
July 24 Finish cutting hay & commence cutting oats. Father & Harriet return.
July 25 Cut oats M, Father & James make hay, haul two loads P.M. Sarah & Harriet visit at Dr.
Morsemans. Very warm day.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 12 of 24
July 26 Finish cutting early oats, bind some & get up hay. Father clean buckwheat & go to mill
M, help get hay P.M. James take load wood to Prather. Very warm.
July 27 Rake & bind oats, finish get up tame hay. Father help. Family of migrants from Chicago
stop here today. Father go to mill. Hot. Hot. Rain evening & in night hard rain.
July 28 Sabbath at Ch. Mr. Jones preach. Very warm.
July 29 Commence cutting hay in slue near Mr. Franklins, help skin cow that died & work on
house. Father go to town to see about his wagon, pay his tax & help skin cow & plough
potatoes. Very warm middle day.
July 30 Cut hay, James get load, Father see about his wagon. Hard thunderstorm evening.
July 31 Attend Caravan.
August 1, 1850 Cut oats in the Felkner field. Father attend to the ironing of his wagon. Very
warm.
August 2 Finish cutting oats & mow some wheat. Father & James rake & bind oats.
August 3 Cutting hay in slue M, split timber for hayrack P.M. Sarah & Harriet to down river. Get
letter from Angelina from Bluffs. Father & James finish rake oats.
August 4 Sabbath at home.
August 5 About house M, rainy. Father help. Go to election P.M. Father work at his wagon.
August 6 Getting out timber for hayrack M. Father work at his wagon setting holes in hubs.
James take load wood and some flour to Mr. Prather.
August 7 Cut oats in Walker field. Father work at his wagon. James rake oats.
August 8 Cut oats. Father work at his wagon M. Make oats P.M. Sarah go to Grove & back.
August 9 Cut oats. Father & James rake oats.
August 10 About house M, rainy. Go to town P.M. Father get wagon.
August 11 Sabbath at Baptist Ch.
August 12 Help Father stack oats.
August 13 Cut hay in slue east. Father & James finish stack oats. Norman & family here.
August 14 Cut hay & make a tent to sleep in. Father haul two loads hay for Mr. Shelady. James
get a load of hay in slue.
August 15 Cut hay. Father & James get each a load of hay in slue.
August 16 Cut Hay P.M., rain M. Father about home. James take my dinner to slue.
August 17 Cut hay M, go home P.M. Rain morning. Father & James about home. Get some
wood. Adelbert & Rosaline here, Harriet go home with them. Father go to Grove eve.
Harriet get a letter from California. Get a letter from Angelina. 3 loads hay.
August 18 Sabbath at ch.
August 19 Cut & put up hay. James get a load. Father at Grove.
August 20 Cut hay & go home, rainy. Father came from Grove with his & Harriet’s things & take
load wood to Mr. Templin.
August 21 Go to town morning with Sarah. Rain M. cut posts & wood P.M. Father haul.
August 22 Go to slue, work at hay. Sarah visit at Mr. Cole’s. Father & James look for corn &
take two loads wood to Prather.
August 23 Work at hay. Sarah visit at Mr. Franklin’s. Father & James get two loads hay. Hard
thundershower night.
August 24 Work at haying. James get a load. Father about home. 4 loads hay.
August 25 Sabbath at ch. Little rain.
August 26 Stack hay. Al Fathern help work in slue P.M. Father & James get each a load of hay.
August 27 Work at hay M, go home P.M. Sick, take an emetic. Father & James go to slue, stay
night.
August 28 Look after oxen. Father & James work in slue & bring home one load hay.
August 29 Go to store with Father & James. Put up hay, bring home two loads.
August 30 Write letter to F. Whitman & Angelina. Rainy.
August 31 Gather peas & rye, James help. Father mend shoes 3 loads hay.
September 1, 1850 Sabbath at ch.
September 2 Go to slue, cut load hay. Father & James get pigs home. Take load wood to
Gower & Holt. Cool, windy.
September 3 Cut hay in slue. Father & James take two loads to Patterson. Cool, windy.
September 4 Cut & put up hay. Father & James take home two loads shed cover.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 13 of 24
September 5 Haying. Father & James get 1 load shed covers. Plesant cold night.
September 6 Cut hay. Father & James clean buckwheat & take it to mill. Father go down river.
Cold & rainy.
September 7 Haying. Father & James get two loads, take load wood to Prather. Frost this
morning, not kill anything.
September 8 Sabbath at home.
September 9 Go slue, work at haying. Father & James take two loads hay to Mr. Sangster for
Mr. McCord.
September 10 Haying. Father & James take two loads hay to Mr. Trotter for McCord. Clear,
plesant.
September 11 Haying. Father & James take two loads hay home. Lousy morning..
September 12 Mowing. Father & James at home. Rainy.
September 13 Mowing. Father & James get load shed cover & ½ load hay. Cloudy.
September 14 Mow morning. Put up hay P.M. Father & James take hay to Prather son &
Prather two loads.
September 15 Sabbath at Methodist Ch.
September 16 Putting up hay. Father & James haul two loads. Very heavy foggy M, clear P.M.
September 17 Putting up hay & go home. Father & James haul two loads. Clear P.M. rain north
& south.
September 18 Help Templin. Father get corn. Cut wood for Prather.
September 19 Work in slue. Father & James take two loads hay to Mr. Usher.
September 20 Haying. Father & James take two loads hay to Mr. Gardner.
September 21 Haying. Father & James take two loads hay home.
September 22 This week Sabbath convention at (Iowa) City, brick ch. Communion.
September 23 Commence mowing in my own slue near Smiths! Father & James get two loads
hay in big slue. Very warm, cloudy.
September 24 Mowing. Father go after some help. Get 2 loads hay.
September 25 Finish getting hay near Mr. Smith. Father & James help two loads go to town.
Father go to mill, Sarah go to Mr. Holmes.
September 26 Mow in big slue. Father take load hay to E. Clark. James take load home.
Cloudy rain evening.
September 27 Mow & put up hay. Father & James get two loads shed cover. Plesant.
September 28 Sick. Father & Jams get two loads hay. Very plesant.
September 29 Sabbath at S. S. no preaching in town? Frost this morning.
September 30 About house. Rainy M, fix stacks P.M.
October 1, 1850 Go to Big Slue, cut some shed covers. Father & James get a load of corn &
load pumpkins. Done cutting hay for this season hope. Father get letter from Angelina.
Mr. Lewis get 230 feet of flooring.
October 2 Commence cutting buckwheat. Sick. Father & James get some corn P.M.
October 3 Cutting buckwheat. Sick. Father plough for Genaught P.M. & he help me.
October 4 Cut buckwheat. Father help. Rainy day.
October 5 Cut buckwheat. Father help. Cold, windy, hard freeze last night. First frost to any
damage here.
October 6 Sabbath at Methodist Ch.
October 7 Cutting buckwheat. Father & James get two loads of hay slue.
October 8 Cutting buckwheat. Father & James get two loads of hay in slue.
October 9 About home all hands. Steady rain most all in day.
October 10 Setting posts for stable, Father get hurt.
October 11 Work at stable.
October 12 Finish cutting buckwheat. Chop load wood for Brother & load for Patterson. Father
& James get two loads pumpkins & haul two loads wood.
October 13 Sabbath at Protestant Ch.
October 14 Get brush put on stable M. Commence thresh buckwheat. Father help in
buckwheat.
October 15 Work at stable M, buckwheat P.M. Foggy morning.
October 16 Work at buckwheat. Father & James help. Cloudy.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 14 of 24
October 17 Getting & threshing buckwheat. Father & James help. Traveler here with sick horse.
October 18 Thresh buckwheat. Father & James help. Sarah visit at Mrs. Havlin.
October 19 About home of the day. Father & James work at buckwheat. Very cold & little rain.
October 20 Sabbath.
October 21 Threshing buckwheat. Father & James haul it.
October 22-23 Threshing buckwheat. Father & James haul it.
October 24 Threshing buckwheat. Cold hard wind.
October 25 Pick up buckwheat off floor. Father & James haul load hay & load shed cover.
October 26 Pick up buckwheat.
October 27 Sabbath at home.
October 28 Fix shed. Father help chop wood. Father & James take two loads to Prather.
Warm.
October 29 Split rails. Father & James get load buckwheat & load of raking in barn at Clarks
farm. Warm plesant.
October 30 Commence dig potatoes M, Father & James help
October 31 Raising house. Father & Prather help ¾ day. Warm plesant.
November 1, 1850 Raising house. Father help. Prather help ¾ day. Warm plesant, rain
evening.
November 2 Work at house. Go to town to acknowledge Deed to the Sells. Help Father clean
buckwheat to go to mill. Rain M.
November 3 Sabbath at S.S.
November 4 Work at house some. Father help. Rainy day.
November 5 Work at house. Father & James get pumpkins.
November 6 Raising house. Prather help ¾ day. Father & James get pumpkins & corn &
cabbages. Cold day, freeze hard night.
November 7 Raising house. Prather help ¾ day. Father get grist at mill & dig potatoes. Cold
night, freeze hard.
November 8 Finish raising house. Prather help ¾ day. John Prather make two window frames.
Plesant.
November 9 Take buckwheat flour to Mr. Andrews, McCord & Shelady. Set house down on
foundation. Prather help ½ day. Father dig potatoes. Plesant.
November 10 Sabbath at Baptist Ch. Father go to Grove. Plesant.
November 11 Get load wood for Prathers. Dig potatoes. Father return from Grove. Warm,
plesant.
November 12 Dig potatoes. Father get some corn of Mr. Brandon. Warm, plesant.
November 13 Dig potatoes. Father sick. Warm, plesant.
November 14 About house. Father & James get load corn. Norman & Clark call. Plesant.
November 15 Set window frame & board up NW corner of house. Father & James get load corn.
Cold N wind, snow evening.
November 16 Bank up house & fix cellar. Father help. Growing cold.
November 17 Sabbath at home.
November 18 Bank house. Father help. Go to town to trade. Cold.
November 19 Get load corn, commence clean buckwheat. Father help. Plesant.
November 20 Get load corn, clean buckwheat. Father go to mill. Cloudy,
November 21 Get 2 loads corn. Father & James help. Plesant, snow night.
November 22 Clean buckwheat, Father help & go to mill. Thaw.
November 23 About house. Day: grind buckwheat. Night: Father go to Mr. McDowells P.M.
Dig some potatoes. Mowing. Warm, plesant, snow go off.
November 24 Sabbath Baptist ch. M. Brick ch P.M. Warm, plesant.
November 25 Fix corncrib M, dig potatoes on Clark’s farm P.M. Father & James go to mill, get
grist all day. Rain M, cloudy & smokey day. Thunder shower at night. Warm day.
November 26 Take flour to town, get two loads corn & finish dig potatoes at Clark’s. Father &
James help. Cold, rain hard P.M.
November 27 Get two loads corn. Father & James help. Bro Clark & family here tonight & Mr.
Cavenaugh. Cold, thunder, lightning & rain night.
November 28 Work about house. Father help. Cold, freezing up hard, southwest wind.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 15 of 24
November 29 Get two loads corn, Father & James help. Plesant. Mr. Esterbrooks here night.
November 30 Get two loads corn. Father & James help. Finish gathering corn. Go to Mr. Birge
to see about the Richards farm. Mr. Hill buried today. Very plesant. Harriet came from
Cedar Rapids.
December 1, 1850 Sabbath at home. Rainy day.
December 2 About house, Father help. Cold, rainy day, snow night.
December 3 About house, Father help. Cold, windy.
December 4 Work at kitchen, Father help. John Prather came to work & help get a load of wood.
Mr. Esterbrooks start home. Very cold.
December 5 Work at kitchen, Father help. Prather laying floor, middle room now. Severe cold.
December 6 Work at kitchen, Father help. Prather laying floor, middle room now
December 7 Work at kitchen. Father go after chaff & take wheat to mill. Prather make window &
door frame. Very cold.
December 8 Sabbath at home. Very cold.
December 9 Kill? corn. Father help, very cold.
December 10 Get load wood. Father take a load wood to Prather & get grist at mill. Go to Mr.
Hampton’s with Harriet. Mr. Holmes & Mr. Horn call. Cold, south wind.
December 11 Help Father, put cover on stable. Prather dress flooring. Mrs. Cole call. Warm
plesant thaw.
December 12 Take load wood to Mr. Holmes & one to meeting house. Help Mr. Holmes & Horn
board up basement windows at meeting house. Cold NW wind. Prather dress flooring.
December 13 Help Prather put in joice & lay floor over kitchen. Father go to town to make
affidavit to & send his bounty land papers to Washington. South wind.
December 14 Help Prather finish floor over kitchen. Father take care of beef bones & get out
two loads manure. Take 20 lbs. buckwheat flour to Mr. Talbott.
December 15 Sabbath at ch, first after Mr. Howe return.
December 16 Get two loads Sand Dunes. Help Father dress hog.
December 17 Send load wood to Prather for work on house. Father go to Grove, get lath & lime.
December 18 Work on house. Father return. Adelbert came after horse. Freeze nights & thaw
days.
December 19 Work at house, Father help. Plesant.
December 20 Lath in middle room. Mr. Andrews help. Plesant.
December 21 Lath & make mortar. Father help Mr. Andrews lath & plaster. Get 300 brick of
Talbott. Plesant.
December 22 Sabbath at ch. Harriet came home with me. Growing cold evening.
December 23 Fill in with brick. Father make mortar. Mild weather.
December 24 Fill in brick. Father go to mill with 16 bushel buckwheat. Mild weather.
December 25 Work at house & get load wood. Father & Harriet take dinner at Mr. Hamptons.
Get grist from mill. Mild.
December 26 Work at house. Father get home. 12 ½ bushels buckwheat from Clark farm & get
door at Prathers. Mild.
December 27 Work at house & send load wood to Prather. Father get balance buckwheat at
Clark farm. Mild.
December 28 Lathing, Mr. Andrews finish plaster middle room. Father make mortar.
December 29 Sabbath at home. Harriet return. Mild.
December 30 Get wood & posts for shed & commence setting posts. Father help. Prather came
to work but quit on account of east wind. Cold.
December 31 Go to town, pay tax M. Work at shed P.M. Father help. Prather work ¾ day.
Norman call. Mild. Mailed $5 to National Era this day to go tomorrow.
January 1, 1851 Father work at shed. Mild.
January 2 Cover shed, Father help. Mr. West here at dinner. Prather work. Plesant.
January 3 Get load wood for Ch & Mr. Howe & help Prather put in window. Father about house.
Mr. Ruscoe here at breakfast. Mild.
January 4 Set window glass. Help Prather set door frame & get load wood for Prather. Father
go to Grove to see Mr. McDowell about timber & get wheat. Mild.
January 5 Sabbath at ch. Mild, plesant.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 16 of 24
January 6 Hang door, go to town attend business. Father return with 16 bushel wheat making all
I get from the Grove for last season. Plesant thaw.
January 7 Work about house. Father go to mill, to land officer & to Clarks and measure ground
that we tilled. Foggy & frosty.
January 8 Put up lumber for door over stove to season. Hang door. Father go to land office with
Dutchman for Norman. Rainy day. This night about eleven o’clock second son born into
our family.
January 9 Rest and sleep M, fix shed P.M. Father help. Mr. Conner died today. Grow cold.
January 10 Work at stable for oxen. Father mend shoes. Warm, plesant.
January 11 Work at ox stable M, Father mend shoes. Send load wood to Prather & get load for
self P.M. Father help. Mr. Hampton came with a letter from Bro Catlett at Sacramento
City. Mailed Nov 18. Grow cold evening.
January 12 Sabbath at ch. Plesant.
January 13 Laying chamber floor. Father & James get two loads lumber at Haynes mill. Warm,
plesant.
January 14 Lay floor in corner bedroom. Father & James get balance lumber at Haynes. Warm,
plesant, & muddy.
January 15 Go to look at timber on Mr. McDowell land. Father go with me, get load rails. James
get load lumber for Prather at Felkners. Muddy.
January 16 Go to Felkners mill to see T. Kimball, go to town to borrow money to pay for land
engage $50.00 of Judge Carleton. Father & James get load wood. Cold, windy, freezing
up.
January 17 Get posts for wood shed & commence setting them. Father help P.M. very cold,
windy.
January 18 Work at wood shed. Father help. Mr. & Mrs. Chandler & Donn? of Andrew in
Jackson Co call & take dinner here & leave their team. Father get answer from Patent
Office. Cold south wind.
January 19 Sabbath at church. Strong south wind.
January 20 Get two loads wood for Prather. Father & James help & get some ice. Cold NW
wind M, south wind P.M.
January 21 Help Prather rip door panel. Work at wood shed. Father help. James get load hogs
heads & feet. Mr. McDowell get his money & gave a bond for Deed. Warm.
January 22 Send load wood to Mr. Cramer & load to McCord. Father get his mare shod. Messrs
Chandler & Day return. Charlott call. Warm.
January 23 Work at wood shed, send load wood to Mr. Howe. Father & Harriet start for Cedar
Rapids. Warm.
January 24 Work at wood shed. Warm.
January 25 Work at wood shed, take lumber to Prather. Warm.
January 26 Sabbath at ch. Bro Clark came with school teacher & wife. Cool.
January 27 Work at stable. Clark borrow small trunk. Cloudy but warm.
January 28 Do chores & try to keep warm. Moderate early in Morning, grow cold, severe NW
wind.
January 29 Chop wood & do chores. Severe cold.
January 30 Take care of cattle & keep fires. Severe cold.
January 31 Make wood box, get load wood. Father return from Rapids. South wind.
February 1, 1851 Chop wood, Father & James haul on sleds—send a load to Mr. Prather. Snow
last night, cloudy & moderate day.
February 2 Sabbath at ch., plesant thaw.
February 3 Work at shed, go to town, Father clean hogs heads. Warm, plesant, snow gone.
February 4 Laying floor upstairs. ½ sick. Father clean hogs heads. Hard wind.
February 5 Put up partition & lath bedroom upstairs. Father clean hogs heads. Plesant.
February 6 Work at bedroom upstairs. Father clean heads. Plesant.
February 7 Work upstairs. Father clean heads. Amanda call. Plesant.
February 8 Work upstairs. Father go to mill with corn, go to see Carmant? about seed wheat &
get a load of hogs heads at Mr. Andrews pork house. Plesant.
February 9 Sabbath at ch, Rev Patterson of ___ & associate ___ of Presbyterian Ch. preach.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 17 of 24
February 10 Lathing upstairs. Send load wood to Prather. Father clean hogs heads. Plesant.
February 11 Send load wood to Mr. Howe. Lathing P.M. Father go to Grove to see about
Gonner? note, get stove at Mr. Sells. Plesant.
February 12 Fixing cupboards at foot stairway. Father return with load plank. Plesant.
February 13 Grind axes M, Father help send load wood to Stone ch.
February 14 Cover shed. Father help. Rain freeze.
February 15 Work at yard & shed M. Take load wood to Prather P.M. Father lame. Cold, icy.
February 16 Sabbath at ch.
February 17 Fix corn shed. Father lame. House took fine/fire? Plesant.
February 18 Fix corn shed. Father lame. Bro Clark & family here. Plesant & thaw.
February 19 Fix horse stable. Rain all day.
February 20 Fix stable M. Work at house P.M. Rainy.
February 21 Work at house—lath & plaster. 1 ½ in heavy snow.
February 22 Get load wood for Prather. Send lumber for doors. Get letter from Asa at Salt Lake.
Deposit 5 dollars in letter at Post Office for N. York Evangelist. Snow gone, very muddy.
Two wild geese going south.
February 23 Sabbath, no preaching, no congregation, so muddy.
February 24 Lathing & made door. Warm, muddy.
February 25 Go with Mr. Holmes attend to church business. Warm, muddy, thunder.
February 26 Lath & plaster cupboard, grow cold, freezing up.
February 27 Lath & plaster over stove in kitchen & commence making door. Cold.
February 28 Finish making two doors, go with Mr. Holmes to see Mr. Howe. Plesant. Father
lame since the 15th, do but little.
March 1, 1851 Hang two doors. Get load wood for Mr. Andrews & load for Mr. Howe. James
help. Father unwell.
March 2 Sabbath at Methodist ch. M. Hear German at Stone ch. P.M. Cold day.
March 3 Chop wood. Anthony Grezor help. Father & James haul 4 loads—1 to Mr. Shelady, 1
to Snyder, 1 to Mr. Prather, & 1 to Stone ch.
March 4 Measure land Father help Grezor split rails.
March 5 Chop wood. Father & James haul two loads to Mr. Andrews. Father & I go to Mr.
Jaynes to a free soil meeting night. Plesant.
March 6 Commence making rails beyond Felkners. Grezor help Father come with a load of corn
from Jaynes. James take load wood to Andrews.
March 7 Making rails. Grezor help. Father & James haul rails. Plesant.
March 8 Make rails & chop wood. Father & James haul out rails & get two loads wood. Cold,
windy.
March 9 Sabbath at ch. Mr. Jones of Cedar Rapids preach.
March 10 Make rails. Grezor help.
March 11-12-13 Father & James haul. Plesant.
March 14-15 Make rails, Grezor help one day. Father haul rails. Father get a load corn Jaynes.
Plesant,
March 16 Sabbath at home. Rainy.
March 17 Send load wood to Prather.
March 18-19 Make rails. Father & James haul
March 20 Make rails. Father & James haul. Father grind corn on barkmill?
March 21-22 At house, all hands. Rainy.
March 23 Sabbath at ch.
March 24 Make rails. Father & James get two loads wood. Gower & Prather, Jones & Harriet
come from Rapids.
March 25 Get slabs from mill & make rails. Father & James help.
March 26 Make rails. Father & James haul.
March 27-28 Make rails. Father & James haul rails & wood.
March 29 Take 3 loads wood to Andrews & one to Gower & Holt. James help. Father go to
English River. Rain night.
March 30 Sabbath at ch. Cold.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 18 of 24
March 31 Make rails, take load wood to Prather & a load to Mr. Snyder. James help. Father
return from English.
April 1, 1851 Fix road & bridge to haul rails. Father & James help. Rain night.
April 2 About home, Father help.
April 3 About home, Father plough for wheat.
April 4 About home, emigrants for Oregon stop. Rainy.
April 5 About home. Father go to mill with 4 bushels wheat, get 2 bushel seed wheat of Cenaut.
Write letter to Benent & to Mrs. M. P. Clark.
April 6 Sabbath at ch.
April 7 Put cover on stable, Father help & plough for potatoes back of stable. Rainy.
April 8 Help take care of children M. Sick & fix gate. Cold.
April 9 Help Prather make eve trough.
April 10 Help Prather & sow wheat. Cold early.
April 11 Sow hay seed, plant potatoes. Send load posts to Prather. 14 yoke of oxen & 3 horses
here. Cold.
April 12 Go to town M. Pick up Julian & others, pick up scattering hay about yard P.M. Cold rain
P.M.
April 13 Sabbath at home. Mr. Howe gone to Presbytery. Cold rainy P.M.
April 14 Get load wood for Prather, plant potatoes. Mr. & Mrs. E. Cole here. Plesant, cold.
April 15 Finish bridge in woods & get load wood. Plesant.
April 16 Get slabs from mill & get a load wood for Mr. Record. Cool.
April 17 Go to town M. Fight fire P.M. Mr. Irish help me with colt. Sarah visit at Mr. Clarks.
April 18 Send load wood to Mr. Howe P.M. Rain M. 13 yoke oxen & 3 strand horses here night.
R. C. Kelly & Co. of Mineral Point, Wisconsin.
April 19 Send load wood to Stone ch. & load hay to Mr. L. Boyd. Father came with grave? stone.
April 20 Sabbath.
April 21 Do chores, kill hog, Father help.
April 22 Take care of meat. Father plough for potatoes. Get saw log, go to mill.
April 23 Get out potatoes. Take log to mill, get load wood for Mr. Holmes.
April 24 Plant potatoes.
April 25 Make rails. James haul load rails, get load wood. Hear 1st whippoorwill.
April 26 Take load wood to Mr. Holmes & plough his garden & plough Mr. Andrews garden.
Father came with load oats.
April 27 Sabbath at home. Angeline sick.
April 28 Father married this morning & move home. Warm, plesant.
April 29 Oil & mend harness. Father & James came with oats. Cold, windy & snowstorm.
Dansana commence going to school.
April 30 Harness & drive colt. Help Father drive cattle. Cold, windy, freeze hard last night.
May 1, 1851 Try to get subscription to True? Democrat. Fix harness. Very cold, windy like
winter, freeze water ¾ inch thick last night.
May 2 Mend harness M, get load wood for E. Cole.
May 3 Take load wood to Edmund Cole & buy a waggon wood of him for which I am to pay him
21 loads more—one half delivered to him & the other to his partner Mr. Mitchell. Take
wood to Prather, send load to Mr. Andrews. Mr. Roberts of Marion & T. Clark here to
dinner. Freeze.
May 4 Sabbath. Mr. Roberts preach.
May 5 Commence ploughing corn ground in Mr. Seward’s field.
May 6 Go to town to see Mr. Felkner. Norman & Clark call for Father’s things.
May 7-8-9 Ploughing, harrowing, grubbing corn ground.
May 10 Go to Grove to see Father & return. Rain.
May 11 Sabbath at home.
May 12 Go to town get things for Father M. Dip water out cellar P.M. James go Grove. Rain
hard last night.
May 13 Make a ditch to turn water out of cornfield. Get load wood to Mr. Andrews & load to Mr.
Warren. Warm, plesant.
May 14 Take a log to mill & two loads of slabs on the prairie.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 19 of 24
May 15 Go to Mr. Stovers with Norman for Father, take a log to mill & go to Grove with Norman
to see Father. Plesant.
May 16 Return home with Clark & others. Two hard showers today.
May 17 Go to town get things for Father. Fill hole under backroom floor. Get wood for Mr. Cole.
May 18 Sabbath at ch. Rainy.
May 19 Get load wood for Prather. Plough & scrape in front of the house. Very warm.
May 20 Plough for Mr. Templin. Cold, windy.
May 21 Husk corn on old house. Rain hard.
May 22 Take an emetic M. Dig a drain for cellar.
May 23 Dig ditch for cellar, M. Plough for Mr. Templin P.M.
May 24 Get slabs on prairie, set fire. Warm.
May 25 Sabbath at ch M. Help start S. School at Mrs. Douglass’ P.M. Very warm.
May 26 Harrow & furrow corn ground for Mr. Templin. Rainy eve.
May 27 Oil harness, fix fence & get two loads wood for Mr. Mitchell & E. Cole. Very warm.
May 28 Help Mr. Smith set stakes for fence. Very warm, rainy.
May 29 Help Mr. Smith lay fence.
May 30 Help Mr. Smith lay fence. Rainy.
May 31 Help Mr. Smith lay fence. Rainy.
June 1, 1851 Sabbath at ch. Plesant.
June 2 Help Mr. Smith make fence.
June 3 Help Mr. Smith make fence. Cool.
June 4 Get 2 loads wood to Mr. Andrews, one to E. Clark & one to Mr. Snyder. Cold.
June 5 Fix steps & milk shelf in cellar. Plesant day. Rain very hard last night.
June 6 Take an emetic M, go to town P.M. Plesant day. Rain very hard last night. ___ carry off
lumber at mill.
June 7 Take load wood to Mr. Holmes, one to Mr. Cota, one to Mr. Cole, and one to Mr. ___.
June 8 Sabbath at ch. Rain P.M.
June 9 Go to Mr. Jaynes M, take load wood to Mr. Robins & a load to Mr. Prather P.M. Clean,
cold. Sent letter to Freeman, one to Miss Clark & one to H. Doveland.
June 10 Draw slabs on prairie. Plesant.
June 11 Draw slabs on prairie. Plesant.
June 12 Get fence posts. Rain P.M.
June 13 Work on road. Sarah visit at Mr. Streeters & Mr. Cole.
June 14 Dig ditch south side of house to turn water, go to town to Democratic Convention. Rain
hard last night.
June 15 Sabbath at home. Rainy.
June 16 Grubing for breaking.
June 17 Grubing for breaking & send load of posts to Prather.
June 18 Grubing M. Take load wood to Mr. Barnes P.M. Hard rain about noon.
June 19 Mr. Andrews help fix cistern. Take some wood to Mr. Record. Mr. Jaynes commence
breaking.
June 20 Grubing. Jaynes breaking. Sarah at Dr. Woods ___ ___.
June 21 Grub M, take load wood to Mr. Dota P.M. Jaynes breaking, very hard wind & rain last
night. Break down trees.
June 22 Sabbath at ch. Cold, wind.
June 23 Grubing & help Jaynes break.
June 24 Grubing. Commence lay fence & take load wood to Mr. Sedell. Jaynes quit breaking &
go home.
June 25 Get rails from meadow J. Lay fence P.M. Mr. Barnes hoe potatoes M. Plant corn P.M.
June 26 Cut & split ground chunks M. Get rails P.M. Very warm.
June 27 Lay fence. Barnes plant corn. Rain last night.
June 28 Fix floor over cistern & go to town. Rain hard last night. Rain most all day.
June 29 Sabbath at S.S. & then go to Groves to see Father. Sick.
June 30 Split ground chunks & lay fence. Mr. Barns plant corn.
July 1, 1851 Laying fence, rainy P.M.
July 2 Fix stable to shut hens in from racone.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 20 of 24
July 3
July 4
July 5
July 6
July 7
Make fence, Mr. Barnes finish plant corn on sod.
Go to Grove with Wm Canset to see Father. Rainy eve.
Draw rails & make fence.
Sabbath at ch. Very warm.
Draw rails P.M. Mr. Barnes plough for buckwheat P.M. ___ plant potatoes on sod P.M.
Rainy M.
July 8 Lay fence. Mr. Barnes plough for buckwheat. Rain eve.
July 9 Go to Grove after Father M. Plough for buckwheat P.M. Rainy P.M.
July 10 Plough & sow buckwheat. James harrow. Very warm.
July 11 Plough & sow buckwheat, James harrow.
July 12 Finish sow buckwheat. Severe? Warm.
July 13 Sabbath at home. Sick.
July 14 thru 18 Making post & slab fence. Warm & dry these days.
July 19 Making slab fence M, help Mr. Lee raise barn P.M. Sarah visit at Mr. Smiths. James
work for Mr. Barnes with oxen?
July 20 Sabbath at ch.
July 21 Bind wheat for Canoot. Sarah at Dr. Morsemans.
July 22 Finish slab fence & lay up rails. Rainy day.
July 23 Lay up rails.
July 24 Draw load lime for Mr. Barnes M. Work at fence P.M. Sarah visit at Mr. ___.
July 25 Work at fence. Very very warm.
July 26 Cut & bind wheat. James work for Mr. Barnes ½ day.
July 27 Sabbath at S.S.. in town M & at S.S. at Rapid Creek P.M. First school. Got book from
Muscatine yesterday. Very warm.
July 28 Help Mr. Smith harvest wheat. Good rain P.M. & night.
July 29 Cut tame? grass. Go to town. Rainy.
July 30 Make hay.
July 31 Help Mr. Lee harvest oats.
August 1, 1851 Help Canoot harvest oats.
August 2 Start to go to Canoots, returned. Rainy.
August 3 Sabbath at S.S. Rapid Creek. Rainy.
August 4 Mow, go to election, kill hog, Mr. Huston & Mr. Lenox help kill hog.
August 5 Help Canoot harvest oats. Sarah visit there.
August 6 Help Mr. Kimball look for his brother.
August 7 Help Canoot harvest oats & get wheat.
August 8 Work in hay & give Sarah a ride to Mr. Tyrrels.
August 9 Mow in the M, go to meeting in the day. Get church library at Dr. Woods with Mr.
Holmes & in the eve put up hay.
August 10 At ch M, at S. S. Rapid Creek P.M.
August 11 Mow some, write to Father & to Clark & Norman, go to Dr. with Sarah.
August 12 Mow, go to Canoots.
August 13 Draw wood for Mr. Fairbanks. Rain hard M.
August 14 Draw wood for Mr. Geiger.
August 15 Draw wood for Mr. Geiger ½ day.
August 16 Clean out shed, pile up plank, go to town with Sarah. Rainy M.
August 17 Sabbath at ch. Mr. Howe & a stranger preach.
August 18 Go to mill M, get lime P.M. Harriet came from Rapids.
August 19 Mow & make hay rack. Sarah & Harriet go to Rapids.
August 20 Making hay & hayrack. Take load wood to Mr. Barnes.
August 21-22 Haying.
August 23 Haying, take a load tame hay to Holmes & Jewell.
August 24 Sabbath at ch.
August 25 Haying, take load tame hay to Holmes & Jewell.
August 26 Stacking tame hay.
August 27 Finish stacking tame hay. Commence cutting hay in slue.
August 28-29 Haying.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 21 of 24
August 30 Haying. Sarah came home from Rapids. Amy came with her.
August 31 Sabbath at ch.
September 1, 1851 thru 5th Attention convention. Hot & dry except the morning of 5th.
September 6 Haying.
September 7 Sabbath at ch.
September 8 Haying.
September 9 Haying. Mr. Barnes go out with James.
September 10 Haying. Take a load hay to Mr. Holmes.
September 11 Haying.
September 12 Haying. Take two loads hay to Barnes.
September 13 Help survey land ___ of Melonell & get two loads hay. Sarah visit at Mrs. Clarks.
Very very warm day, turn cold eve & windy.
September 14 Sabbath at S.S. in town & at R. Creek. Gone to Presbytery.
September 15 Mend wagon & take two loads wood to Mr. Mitchell.
September 16 Mowing.
September 17 Haying, cloudy.
September 18 Draw wood for Mr. Geiger. Teams two. Good hay day.
September 19 Draw who loads hay to Mr. Schligher. Cloudy.
September 20 Write to Whitmans. Rainy.
September 21 Sabbath at ch. Rev. Strong preach.
September 22 Fix hayrack M. Mow in my slue P.M. Sarah go to Mr. Lenox. Canoot & his wife &
Mother here. Send letter to A. F. Whitman.
September 23 Mowing.
September 24 Haying, take a load to Mr. Romp. Canoot get hoggs to fatten.
September 25 Haying, take two loads to Mr. Gardner.
September 26 Haying, get load home.
September 27 Take two loads hay to Mr. Geiger & one to Mr. Schligher.
September 28 Sabbath at ch. & S. Schools. First frost to kill corn & potatoes.
September 29 Take 1 bushel corn & 3 ¾ bush. buckwheat to mill. Get stove of Mr. Morris,
commence cut corn. Mail letter to Norman.
September 30 Get two loads hay.
October 1, 1851 Take load to Mr. Geo Andrews & a load to Mr Romp M, cut corn P.M.
October 2 Get load hay for E. Cole & a load to Mr McGinnis.
October 3 Get two loads hay for Geo Andrews.
October 4 Get load hay for Geo T Andrews.
October 5 Sabbath at ch & S. School.
October 6 Commence cutting buckwheat.
October 7- 8 Cut buckwheat M, ride with Sarah & attend to other things P.M. Father came from
Rapids.
October 9 Go to Grove attend Adelbert’s funeral.
October 10 Return home & finish cutting buckwheat. Rainy.
October 11 Mowing, cold, cloudy.
October 12 Sabbath.
October 13 Take two loads hay to George Andrews.
October 14 Rake buckwheat M, Go to town take dinner at Mr. Holmes. Put up corn evening.
October 15 Rake buckwheat. Go to Mr. Shelady’s with Sarah P.M. to ___ supper.
October 16 Rake buckwheat M, help clean out Supper room, then get two loads hay in cornfield.
October 17 Felkners raising sawmill. Father & James go to Grove. Rainy.
October 18 Rake buckwheat M. Write to Asa P.M. Mrs. Cole & Mrs. Hawkins call. Father
return.
October 19 Sabbath. Mr. Strong go with me to Mrs. Douglass’ P.M.
October 20 Fix the old house & put up stove & c for Father. Father & mother & Sarah to
Canoots.
October 21 Go to Canoots after corn for Father. Put up bedstead. Take load wood to Rev
Strong. Cold.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 22 of 24
October 22 Write & fix Father & Mother & Sarah off to Rapids M, mow in cornfield P.M. Cold.
Froze here last night.
October 23 Take stove/stone ware to Patterson & White M. Go after buckwheat P.M. Cold ,
freeze last night.
October 24 Mow in cornfield & get load hay.
October 25 Get two loads hay in cornfield. Cold, windy.
October 26 Sabbath. Go to Oldman’s Creek with Mr Strong. Folks return from Rapids. Cold.
October 27 Take a load wood to Mr. Howe & a load to Mrs. Bradshaw. Warm, plesant.
October 28 Pull turnips. Write to Jones & to A.F. Whitman. Father go to Grove. Warm, plesant.
October 29 Go after Mother’s cow M, quarry stone P.M. Father return.
October 30 Make a pen for Mother’s cow M, lay foundation for meeting house steps P.M.
Plesant.
October 31 Cut & draw corn. Father go to Grove.
November 1, 1851 Draw & stack buckwheat. Father & Mary came.
November 2 Sabbath at church.
November 3 Get load wood. Stack buckwheat. Angeline sick with measles.
November 4 Stack buckwheat, take load wood to Mr. Strong & load to E. Cole. Sarah go to Mr.
Coles to avoid measles.
November 5 Chop wood. Go to Grove after corn, James go also. Cold night.
November 6 Pick two loads corn & return home. Father get money on Conny note.
November 7-8 Get two loads corn from Grove. Chop wood & do chores.
November 9 Sabbath at ch & Rapid Creek School.
November 10 Get load wood & go to Grove for corn. Clark & Co. go after sawmill.
November 11 Return with two loads corn. Snow storm P.M.—2 or 3 inches. Jardena?, James,
Charles & John getting sick with measles.
November 12 Attend to the children & do chores. Rainy.
November 13 Attend to the children & do chores. Rainy.
November 14 Make shed for Father’s cow.
November 15 Get wood & take care of children.
November 16 Sabbath at home.
November 17 Go to Canoots. Sarah come.
November 18 About house, get load wood for E. Cole & workman get load sand.
November 19 Cut & cord wood for Mr. Howe P.M.
November 20 Go to town with wood & get supporter for Sarah. Angeline sick.
November 21 About home, take care of sick. Get load wood for self & load for Father.
November 22 Take two loads wood to Mr. Cole’s workman.
November 23 Sabbath at home. Children sick.
November 24 Go to Canoots, get corn & wheat. Father go to Grove. Write to Dr. Fitch.
November 25 Take an emetic, very unwell for the last two weeks. Get load wood for E. Cole &
Norman P.M. Snow eve.
November 26 Go to Grove after corn. Very plesant. Stay at Clarks night. Rain eve.
November 27 Finish picking corn & go home. Snow hard M. Grow cold P.M. Freeze night.
November 28 Take Sarah to Jas Clarks. Get dung forks mended.
November 29 Attend burial of Mr. Mendenhall child. Get Sarah home. Cold.
November 30 Sabbath. Go to Dr. with John—smelled throat. Plesant.
December 1, 1851 Make mortor, commence filling in with brick around kitchen. Warm, plesant,
December 2 Hang chamber door in log house. Very cold.
December 3 Filling in with brick. James & Samuel get two loads wood, more moderate.
December 4 Filling in with brick & make a shoulder brace for Sarah.
December 5 Go to Mr. Lathrop’s with Sarah & work in kitchen. Father & James go to Grove after
beef.
December 6 Filling in with brick. Father & James return. Hellen here. Cold, rainy.
December 7 Sabbath at ch, Sarah come home. Rainy.
December 8 About home, carry John to Dr. Morseman evening, get smelling lanced.
December 9 Work about house. Mrs. Kimbal & her little girl call today. Very plesant.
December 10 Take two loads wood to Mr. ___ for Mr. Mitchel & get brick of Mr. Andrews. Cold.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 23 of 24
December 11 Help Canoot kill hogs. Plesant but cold.
December 12 About house, finish cut up pork. Cold.
December 13 Work about house.
December 14 Sabbath at home. Cold, snowy.
December 15 Work about house. Angeline has sore eyes. Very severe cold.
December 16 thru 20 Work about house. Fill in with brick, take care of Angeline—sick, sore
eyes & sore throat. First very cold week.
December 21 Sabbath at home. Father & James go to Grove. Weather moderating.
December 22 Work about house. Father & James return with cows. Send for Dr. for Angeline.
December 23 About house, take care of Angeline. Dr. call to see her, left medicine. Moderate.
December 24 Attend to Angeline, go to see Dr. for her, medicine not operate.
December 25 About house, attend Angeline. Medicine not operate. Send for Dr. morning, not
come. Angeline great distress, don’t know what to do. Send for Dr. evening, was not able
to come. Would come next morning. Foggy, rainy.
December 26 Take care Angeline, Dr. not come all day. Don’t know what to do. Thawing.
December 27 Go after Dr, Angeline get no relief. Sarah go to Mr. Holmes to stay. Muddy.
December 28 Sabbath. Take care of Angeline, had great distress last night—no better. Dr. call
again today.
December 29 Angeline died about 1 o’clock this morning. Very warm.
December 30 Attend Angeline’s funeral today. Cold, freezing up.
December 31 Father start for Cedar Rapids.
January 1, 1852 Mrs. Andrews call to see John sick.
January 2-3 Father return from Rapids, Harriet with him.
January 4 Sabbath at Methodist Ch.
January 5-10 Attend to John. Mrs. Holmes here two nights. Mr. Andrews here two.
January 11 Sabbath at home. John died today about 12 o’clock. Brother Clark & Elvira & Mr.
Barnes here. Severe cold.
January 12 Attend John’s funeral today. Snow, cold.
January 13 Thresh buckwheat. Father & Harriet start for Rapids. Write to Dr. Fitch about bad
medicine. More moderate.
January 14 Thresh buckwheat. James commence going to school. Moderate.
January 15 Thresh buckwheat. Plesant.
January 16 Thresh buckwheat. Father return. Moderate.
January 17 Clean buckwheat & go to mill. Father help. Growing cold.
January 18 Sabbath. Attend Mrs. Brown’s funeral. Severe cold.
January 19 Go to town, attend to Appraising damages in road. Very severe cold. Coldest ever
known here. Thermometer below zero.
January 20 Go to town, carry cloth for vest, to Mr. Barnes & take load wood to E. Cole. Very
cold.
January 21 Take load wood to Mr. Strong.
January 22 Go to Squash (or north) Bend with Strawbridge & McAdam to appraise damages on
road. Cold, south wind.
January 23 Draw wood for Mr. Strong—3 loads from Mr. Cram’s land. Moderate.
January 24 Get up wood for self & Father. James & Middleton to visiting. Warm thaw.
January 25 Sabbath at home. No meeting.
January 26-30 Thresh buckwheat, ride with Sarah. Warm, thaw, muddy.
January 31 Clean buckwheat & go to mill. Rain last night. Creeks & Rivers very high. Snow this
evening.
February 1 Sabbath. Attend funeral of Mr. Barnes’ boy. Cold.
February 2 Write to A.F. Whitman, to Mr. Dorn & to Harriet. No well.
February 3 Go to Mr. Barnes with Sarah. Write to Mary for her. Quite unwell. Warm, muddy.
February 4 Go to Mr. Jenikes with Sarah & return on account of measles.
February 5 Work at house.
February 6 Work at house, corner room. Sarah visit at Mr. Pattersons. Very muddy, rain little
eve.
February 7 Work t corner room.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.
Journal June 1, 1849 – February 14, 1852
Charles M. Calkin or Calkins
Page 24 of 24
February 8 Sabbath at ch.
February 9 Move partition & window in corner room. Father go to Grove.
February 10 Board up window place in corner room & fill in brick.
February 11 Go to see about timber above Mr. Felkner & see about James. He gone to Mr.
Poland’s. Freeze hard last night, cold day & windy.
February 13 Finish writing to Freeman & Mary, the Evangelist, & Asa. Father go to Poland’s see
about James.
February 14 Go to Mr. Cole’s with Sarah. Grind axes & commence chopping cord wood.
Transcribed with Mr. Calkin’s spelling by Karen Petersen Groves
September, 2011
Note: I did look at maps and spell towns as on map in most cases rather than his spelling.